Ribs time and tender equation

[bushman]

Hello fellow smokies,

I am one of those guys that has to make sence with everything. I love ribs  !!!!.and I want to understand better the length of time in relation to tenderness of ribs. I usually keep them in the smoker until the meat pulls back from the rib ends. but when smoking a big batch some are ready before others so I take out and eat the first that are ready and leave the rest in to cook longer. I like the fall off the bone tender type rib and my wife does not want to see any red in the meat as she thinks it has to be all cooked to be safe. But at a rib joint that I went to had alot of red in it/s ribs and were some what tender.

So my question is  to make that tender fall off the bone rib, do I just keep cooking until they fall off or is there a point that they will dry up and be dry. And does it matter if it is a little red.

Thanks guys

I do FTC as well

[NePaSmoKer]

Welcome bushman

It sounds like your on the right track. What I do is when the meat starts to pull away from the end of the bone, I foil them and give em another 1.5 hours of heat. Lots of members do ribs different so you will get allot of ideas here. Here are a few ribs I have done recently. Bradley ribs and Traeger ribs.









nepas

[Mr Walleye]

Bushman

I agree with NePas, everybody's idea of "tender" ribs is different but here is what I like to do. I like mine pretty tender.

I usually cut each rack of back ribs in half and remove the membrane the night before. Next I give them a rub with olive oil, then hit them with the rub, wrap in plastic and store in the fridge till the next day. The next day I usually spray my racks with Pam and put the ribs on bone side down. I usually apply smoke for 3 hours at 220 degrees, then let them go 1 more hour without smoke at 220 degrees (total of 4 hours). Next I put the ribs in a tin foil roster pan with a shot of apple juice and cover with foil. I throw them back into the smoker at 220 degrees for 3 more hours (this part can be done in the oven as well). Next I take them out of the foil and fire them on the grill just long enough to sauce them. Next.... fill your face! 

Like I said everybody's idea of tender is different. Also, I don't FTC ribs. If you are having some finsih earlier than others you may want to rotate racks a few times during the cook.

Mike

[FLBentRider]

This is how I do Ribs:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7500.0

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7592.0

[Ka Honu]

Nepas - I'm sick of the pictures.  FTC the ribs and ship them to me.  I'll bring back the cooler next time I'm on the mainland.